Here Is Everything We Know — And Don’t — About The Israeli Soldier Hamas Says It Captured

1. Update – July 22, 3:25 a.m. ET

Israel’s military spokesman said on Tuesday morning that the body of one soldier killed in Gaza over the weekend had not been recovered.

Israel announced on Sunday that seven soldiers had been killed the day before when their APC had exploded. On Tuesday, they revealed that only six of the bodies had been returned to Israel for burial.

The seventh soldier, who is unnamed by Israeli officials, is widely believed to be Oron Shaul, the soldier named as “Aron Shaul” by Hamas.

Shaul’s Facebook page continues to show condolences from family and friends, but a funeral has not yet been announced. According to Jewish tradition as much of the body as possible needs to be recovered for burial.

2. The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, claimed on Sunday night they had captured an Israeli soldier named Shaul Aron. The group released his ID number and photos as evidence of his capture.

The soldier was named as 21-year-old Shaul Aron, a Golani brigade infantryman.

The Israeli military spokesperson refused to confirm or deny rumors that a soldier had been captured, and told BuzzFeed, “the reports are being investigated.”

The name of the soldier is strikingly similar to that of Oron Shaul, one of the 13 Israeli soldiers reported by Israel’s military to have been killed in action Sunday. In Hebrew the spelling of Oron could also be pronounced Aron, and both of his given names are common Israeli first names.

4. On Oron Shaul’s personal Facebook page, condolences have been posted since Sunday afternoon, mourning the death of the young soldier.

The total number of Israeli dead in this conflict rose to over 20 on Sunday, the highest number of Israeli casualties since the Second Lebanon War in 2006. In Gaza, more than 400 Palestinians have been killed in the 13 days since Israel launched Operation Defensive Edge.

Israeli military experts said it was possible a soldier had been captured, but questioned the photos and “evidence” released by Hamas Sunday night.

6. This photo was tweeted from an account associated with the Al-Qassam Brigades. However, Israeli experts said it was unlikely a soldier would go to battle with civilian ID cards.

7. This photo was originally tweeted from another Al-Qassam Brigades account, but then deleted. It purports to show the captured Israeli soldier, but a reverse image search calls its authenticity into question.

Alqassam captures a zionist soldier from inside his tank! This is a real army not the israeli army that kills kids

What’s more, the type of uniform being worn by the IDF soldier appears to be the sort of jumper normally worn as part of winter fatigues, not summer combat clothes. The soldier also appears remarkably unscuffed, despite allegedly being captured in clashes in east Gaza.

He told reporters at the U.N. in New York: “There’s no kidnapped Israeli soldier, and those rumors are untrue.”

However, other Israeli sources have said they are investigating.

10. Whether or not reports of the captured Israeli soldier are true, celebrations were held in Gaza and the West Bank over the possibility that capturing an Israeli soldier would give the Palestinians greater leverage.

Celebrations in Gaza... May Allah bless them with happiness always.. ❤️
#GazaResists

— DeeMoDee (@ThatYemeniGirl)

11. One store in Hebron even offered a clothing discount to celebrate the soldier’s capture.

“Psychologically, Hamas has already given the Palestinian people a victory,” said Gaza lawyer Samer Seoudi, who spoke to BuzzFeed by phone as neighbors ululated and celebrated outside his Gaza City apartment. “People are celebrating because for over a week it was been nothing but misery in Gaza. They now feel like their side has accomplished something, and maybe this will make the war end.”

Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was captured in June 2006, and held for five years by Hamas in Gaza. He was eventually released in a prisoner exchange deal for over 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails.

At the time, Israeli right-wing groups criticized the deal, saying it would only encourage Palestinian militant groups to capture additional Israeli soldiers as bargaining chips.